Russ, What year were you riding. Your dates do not coincide with the ones I have for 1960. What you say about sending the engine east for shopping sounds feasible however.
My notes are not engraved in stone by any means. I think we have some stuff nailed down, but everytime I think I have a trip down, I find something else contradictory. For instance I was told a trip with 493 was made to Farmington one year since the Silverton line was out of service due to flooding, or slides. I was told this was 1959. Howevr there are scenes of 473 to Silverton on 5/30/59. So one or the other is incorrect.
Greg